Container



June 8, 1943. R. H. SEYMER CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W .t/n 4 ATTORNEYS June 8, 1943. R. H. sEYMER 2,321,050

CONTAINER Filed July 19,1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 ENTOR. MAJ x4 J me,

ATTORNEYS Patented June 8, 1943 UHTEE STATES assists couranvaa Richard H. Seymer, Newark, N. J., assignor to American (Ian Company, New York, N. Y a corporation of New Jersey Application Jilly 19, 1941, Serial 310.403,?223' 4 Claims. (in. 2229- 1) invention relates to fibre containers for a the packaging and delivery of liquids, such as milk, fruit juices or the like and has particular reference to a double layer hinge plug closure for such a container.

In certain respects, the invention constitutes an improvement upon the container illustrated and described in the John M. Hothersall United folded double layer construction which may have a strip of wire placed between the layers, prefer- States Patent 2,085,979, issued July 6, 1967, and

stituting end seam Joints-in which the parts are permanently united by an interposed suitable liquid-proof adhesive and the container being coated with paramn or other suitable material to producea leak-proof container, the top end having an opening for filling'the container which then is closed by a double layer plug closure unit,

the upper layer being removable to open the container and to expose a clean, sanitary surface of the lower layer over which the container contents may be poured. I f An object of the invention is the provision of a liquid-proof fibre container wherein a double layer plug closure unit is provided for closing and sealing purposes, this double closure being formed by folding a previously cut and formed. cover part of fibrous material so that the engaging surfaces of the double layer may be hermetically sealed at their marginal edges to keep 'the intermediate section of such surfaces in a sanitary condition until the container is opened, at which time one removablelayer of the closure which is formed with an integral plug section is swung back on a hinged connection to eifecta pouring opening and initially to expose a sanitary under-layer surface over which the container contents is dispensed.

Another object of the invention is the provision in such a container of a closure unit of the character described, wherein the removable layer is partially cut or scored inan outline adiacent its marginal edges along which the layer may be severed upon opening as bypuiling on an extended tab which is integral with the removable layer the latter being lifted from its centrally disposed sealing position at the corner of the sealed and filled container,

A further object of the invention is the provision in such a removable closure unit of a ably by being pressed into the upper removable layer, such a wire being in spaced, parallel position relative to the marginal edge thereof to provide a tear-open wire element for severing the upper removable layer, such a wire having a looped finger-hold disposed at its mid-section which is accessible for engagement at the corner of the sealed container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawngs, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Figure lis a iragmentary perspective view of a sealed container embodying the present inven-- tion Fig. 2 is a view similar to Figs 1 showing a removable layer of its hinge plug closure unit in raised, open position;

Fig. 3'is a plan .view of a partially prepared double layer plug closure unit;

Fig. 4 is a view in section of such an incomplete plug closure unit as taken substantially along the line d4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5v is a plan view of a completed double layer plug closure unit; V

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section of the upper portion'of a container'having a. double layer plug closure unit attached thereto and raised into open position, the section of the plug closure being indicated by the line 6-6in Fig. 5:

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary viewin section or the filled and sealed container shown in Fig. 1, as taken substantially along the line '|-l in that The container briefly comprises a substantially rectangular fibre body It closedat its ends with suitable top and bottom closure members. These closure members are similar and for the purpose of this invention only the top end closure need be illustrated. The numeral [2 designates such a top closure member.

The container body ll preferably is formed from a single sheet of liquid-proof fibrous material folded at right angles to provide four side walls designated by the numeral [3. The edges of the sheet are joined by a lapped seam extending longitudinally of the body along one of the side walls l3. Such a seam continues up and over the top bent portions of the container body, being suggested in Figs. 1, 2 and 9 of the drawings as that extended portion over'the top end l2 which is designated by the numeral [4. This lapped seam joint is secured together by a suitable adhesive to make it leak-proof.

The end members are substantially of the same construction and preferably are formed from the same fibrous material as the body of the container. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings show in detail how the top closure end member I2 is interlocked with the adjacent edge or marginal portion of the body. For this purpose the body marginal edge portions at the upper end of the body are bent inwardly at I and then outwardly as at l6 thereby providing a shoulder or ledge II which extends circumferentially of the body and upon which the top end closure I2 is supported.

The extreme edges of the body marginal portions are bent upwardly and then inwardly from the outer edges of the end closure member to provide a spaced end flange portion 18 which extends over the marginal edge portions of the top closure member and seals it in position.

The bent or folded portions l6, l8 of the body I Such a hinge closure unit preferably isformed from a fibrous blank of material similar to other parts of the container, as best illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This blank upon being cut is formed and folded on its mid-region along a fold line 24 to provide an under layer 25 and an upper removable layer 26.

The under layer 25 has a dispensing opening formed as at 21 which is bordered by an annular depending wall 28 (Fig. 4) The removable layer has a drawn plug section 29. This plug is insertable within the opening 21 when the removable layer is folded upon and is engaged with the surface of the under layer. 4

The removable layer 28 has an extended finger tab 32 (Fig. 3) which is disposed at the corner of the container when the closure is applied and this feature will be hereinafter more fully described. The marginal edge portions of the layer,

designated by the numerals 33 and 34, have a 7 suitable adhesive 35 applied thereto so that when the removable layer and the under layer are folded at the connection 214 these layers may be secured together in a hermetic manner. Prior to this securing together, the removable cover is scored or partially out along lines 36 WhlCh are spaced parallel from the edge portions 33 and 34 and which terminate at the border of .the finger tab 32.

abl layer from the under layer.

- closure (Fig. 7) and in opposite directions.

Fold lines 31 are spaced parallel to and are located inside of the marginal edge portions 33 in the removable layer 26, This assists in folding the adhesive coated edge portions which are bent over front angular edges 38 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the under layer 25. The adhesive secures the folded parts to the under marginal edges of the under layer.

Fold lines 39 and 42, at the junction of the fold lines 31 (Fig. 3), permit folding of the finger tab at substantially right angles to the top surface of the removable layer when the two layers are joined together. At this time the marginal edges 34 of the removable layer coincide with the edges 43 of the under layer and are secured thereto, as best illustrated in Fig. 5. Such an adhesively secured cover closure protects the under layer by maintaining its sterile condition during all subsequent operations until the container is finally opened by an ultimate consumer. I

The completely formed double layer hinge plug closure unit then may be secured to the upper end l2 of a container as by a staple 44 (Fig. 6).

This permits the double layer unit to be swung back, as illustrated, so that all parts of the completed container with its end closure may be coated with the paraffin or other suitable liquidproofing material.

The container then may be temporarily closed by swinging the doubl layer plug closure unit in the direction of the opening and inserting the drawn plug 29 and the annular wall 28 into the filling opening 22. This is while the container is empty, such an operation preferably being performed in the container manufacturer's plant so as to retain the containers in a sterile condition before and while being shipped to the dairy or packers plant for filling and final sealing.

In order to fill such av container, the double layer plug closure unit is swung on its hinged connection or staple 44 (Fig. 6) to permit filling the container through the opening 22. The filled container is closed finally by reinserting the plug section and the annular wall section of the hinge plug closure into the filling opening. The shape of the drawn plug then may be slightly altered by a suitable expanding tool to form a circumferential bead 45 (Fig. '7). This head is pressed out of the depending wall of the plug section 29 directly against the fiared annular edge of the depending Wall 28 beneath the top end closure I2 which effectively seals and locks the closure in position on a filled container.

The filled and sealed container then is in condition to be distributed to stores and finally to the ultimate consumer. Such a sealed container may be opened readily by separating the remov- This may be accomplished by lifting the finger tab 32, which is disposed at the corner of a filled container (Fig. 1), and thereby severing the removable layer along the score lines 36. The initial severing is at the marginal edge of the container beneath the outwardly extended portion of the This permits lifting the plug section 29 from within the opening 21 of the under layer, as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 8 of the drawings.

It willbeobserved by reference to Fig. 8 that the flared annular edge 28 of the under layer 25 remains locked in place under the top closure member during such lifting f th plug section 29. This prevents displacement of the under layer and insures that only the sterile surface is presentd for pouring.

This exposes the sterile under layer 25 of the double layer hinge plug closure for the first time since it was made sterile. The contents from within the container may b poured through the As an alternative form-of the invention, Figs.

9 and 10 of the drawings disclose a tearing wire 52 disposed on and embedded in the removable layer of a double layerplug closure unit 53. This plug closure is similar to plug closure unit, 23 and includes under layer 54 and an upper removable layer 55, these being similar and corresponding to the layers 25 and 26. Layer 54 also has an opening with a depending wall, as hereinbefore described, for the layer 25. By embedding the wire in the fibre wall, the latter is weakened along th wire line. 4

The removable layer 55 also has its marginal edges coated with the adhesive 35 as previously described for the corresponding layer as shown in Fig. 3. The front corner edge of the removable layer 55 is cut away as at 56 and has two V notches 51 cut at this place (Fig. 10). These notches permit the tearing wire 52 to extend out beyond the endof a completed plug closure unit where it forms a convenient loop 58 for finger engagement.- v

Fold lines 59, which ,are similar to the fold lines 3'! in th plug closure 23, are spaced inwardly of and are parallel to the marginal edges of the removable layer 55 of the plugclosure 53. These edges of the part 55 are folded along the foldlines and over th angular edge portions 38 of the way,'as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

When the sealed container is to be opened, the

loop section 58 of the wire is lifted outwardly and top end member for said body having a filling and dispensing opening, an integral double layer closure unit folded uporritself so as to constitute an outer removable layer and an inner permanent layer sealed together at their contacting marginal portions. said removable layer having a depending friction plug section'engaging within an opening cut in said inner layer said double layer closure unit being secured to said top end member to close and seal the filling and dispensing opening therein, said outer removable layer being separable from said under layer for opening the container by removing said plug section from the inner layer opening, whereby a sterile surface of the under layer is exposed for pouring of the container contents over such sterile surface.

2. A container for liquids, comprising in combination, a tubular fibre body having an upper I closure unit folded upon itself so as to constit w under layer, as hereinbefore described in connecthen upwardly from the top of the container.

This pull on the wire severs the'fibrous material of the removable layer along the embedded weak- 'ened section and separates it. Th removable layer during this severing action also has its plug section withdrawn from the opening 21 of the under layer 55. This completely opens the container which thereupon appears substantially as illustratedfin Fig. 2 of the drawings. This also exposes the sterile top surfac of the enclosed under layer of this modifiedform of. double layer plug closure as before.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoingdescription, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the part without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

l. A container combination, a tubular container body, a. flat portion thereof inclined inwardly and thence out.- wardly to providea substantially fiat end sup-' port ledge, a substantially flat fibre top end member engaging and supported by said ledge, the marginal edges of said body extending inwardly over and secured to said top end member in a liquid-proof end joint, said top end member having a filling and dispensing opening adjacent one corner thereof, and an integral double layer fibre an outer removable layer and an inner perman t layer, said outer removable layer having a depending friction plug section engaging within a disp'ensing opening in said inner layer, said double layer closure unit being secured to said top end member to close and seal the filling and dispensin opening therein, said outer removable layer being separable from said inner layer for opening the container and to expose the normalli concealed sterile surface of said inner layerfor pouring of the container contents over such sterile surface.

3. A sealed container for liquids, comprising a tubular fibre body having an upper portion thereof inclined inwardly and thence outwardly to provide a substantially fiat end support ledge, a substantially fiat fibre top end member engaging and supported by said ledge and sealed to said body in a liquid-proof joint at the engaged marginal edges thereof, said top end member having a filling and dispensing opening adjacent a corner thereof, and a double layer closure unit secured to saidtop end member and adapted to close and seal said opening, said closure unit being integrally formed of fibrous material folded upon itself and sealed together along its marginal edges to provide an outer removable layer and an inner permanent layer,- said removable layer having a finger tab at one-corner and also having a de- P n ing drawn friction plug section insertable into an opening in said inner layer, said inner layer 4.- A sealed container for holding and dispens ing iq omprisingsa tubular fibre body for liquids, comprising in ing an upper portion thereof inclined inwardly fibre top end member engaging and supported by said ledge and sealed to said body in a liquidproof joint at the engaged marginal edge thereof, said top end member having a filling and dispensing opening adjacent one corner, a double layer closure unit secured to said top end member for closing and sealing said opening, said closure unit being integrally formed of fibrous material folded upon itself at its midsection and sealed together along its marginal edges to provide an outer removable layer and an inner permanent layer, said removable layer having a depending drawn friction plug section insertable into an opening in flat end support ledge, and a substantially flat said inner layer, and a tearing wire interposed between said sealed unit layers and having a looped section extending out from one corner of the said closure unit, the said looped'section being disposed at the corner of said container to open the same when the wire loop is lifted and pulled, whereupon said wire cuts through said outer removablelayer to release the same from said inner layer while removing said plug section from container sealing position, whereby to expose the sterile inner layer surface over which the container contents may be poured.

RICHARD H. SEYMER. 

